You don't need a science kit. You need a kitchen, a plastic bag, and a notebook. Ten experiments that work in any MENA household, ordered from easiest to most rewarding.
1. Lemon invisible ink (ages 6-9)
Dip a toothpick in lemon juice. Write a message on paper. Dry. Heat gently over a warm lamp. Message appears. Concept: oxidation.
2. Salt-and-ice rainbow (ages 7-10)
Ice cubes, salt, food colouring. Demonstrates freezing-point depression.
3. Dancing raisins (ages 6-8)
Sparkling water + raisins. Bubbles lift, pop, drop. Density + buoyancy.
4. Paper towel chromatography (ages 8-11)
Marker dots on a paper towel + water. Shows that black ink is actually many colours. Concept: separation of mixtures.
5. Balloon rocket (ages 7-10)
Balloon, straw, string across a room. Newton's third law, visible.
6. Egg in vinegar (ages 8-12)
Leave a raw egg in vinegar for 48 hours. Shell dissolves; membrane remains. Concept: acid-base reaction, osmosis follow-up.
7. Lava lamp (ages 9-12)
Oil + water + food dye + effervescent tablet. Density and solubility.
8. Homemade compass (ages 10-13)
Needle, magnet, cork, bowl of water. Concept: Earth's magnetic field.
9. Crystal garden (ages 10-14)
Supersaturated sugar solution on a string. 5-day experiment; big payoff. Concept: solutions and crystallisation.
10. Simple electric motor (ages 12+)
Battery, magnet, copper wire. Fifteen minutes. Concept: electromagnetic induction. The moment it spins is the moment a kid decides physics is real.